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Every year for the past six years Oris has released a new Hölstein Edition watch on June 1^st to coincide with the anniversary of the brand’s founding. Each of the special editions offers an unusual take on a classic model such as the Aquis and last year’s Divers Sixty-Five. There’s actually a bit of similarity between last year’s watch and the Hölstein Edition 2025 because they both have DLC coated cases, although the 2025 version is based on the ProPilot rather than the Diver. Plus, the Hölstein Edition 2025 cannot be described as stealthy with its centrepiece full lume dial with mystery bear motif.

This is actually the first full lume dial in the ProPilot range. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it means the entire face of the watch is made from luminescent material, creating a vivid glow in low light conditions. It’s a cool variation on standard dial design that has seen increasing popularity in recent years since Bell & Ross brought attention to it with a dedicated Full Lum collection.

Paired with a 41mm DLC coated steel case, as the Oris is, the design really pops. So much so that I would caution against keeping it on your bedside table unless you want an inadvertent night light.

One of the cool things about full lume displays is that they make it possible to hide details in the design. Essentially, during the day when the watch is not glowing the dial appears a monotone white but in the dark, a mystery design is revealed.

For the Hölstein Edition 2025 that takes the form of the face of the Oris Hölstein bear between 3 and 4 o’clock. In the official Oris press release they introduce this feature with the tag line “ready or not, here he comes”, which is supposed to be playful but strikes me as unintentionally sinister. He might try to lull you in with that cute heart shaped nose but there’s definitely lurking behind those eyes.

On a more serious note, it is an interesting interpretation of the ProPilot collection. It houses the Oris Calibre 400, which is the brand’s flagship movement with five-day power reserve, as noted by the inscription on the dial. That inscription remains visible even in the dark just like the hour markers and hands as they are pitch black against the glowing background.

Between the full lume display, DLC coated case, Calibre 400 and the fact that it’s a limited edition of 250 pieces, the Oris Hölstein Edition 2025 is priced at £3,700, placing it among the most expensive ProPilots in the range alongside their other, more experimental designs like the Altimeter and Coulson. I always enjoy seeing Oris’ more unusual designs and the Hölstein Edition 2025 does not disappoint.

More details at Oris.

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Casio is introducing the G-Shock GMW-B5000D-1C and GM-B2100SD-1C in June 2025 (starting in Japan), featuring color accents based on the original G-Shock DW-5000C-1A, which was one of two models of the first-ever G-Shock series release from 1983. According to Casio, the red represents the passion to take on challenges, while the blue symbolizes water resistance, […]

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The 1970s was a notorious decade in the history of watchmaking, afflicted as it was by the ‘Quartz Crisis’. It was a period of time when new, cheap, reliable and accurate electronic movements almost spelt the death of traditional, watchmaking – resulting in the dissolution of hundreds of brands who were unable to keep up. One such brand was Monceau, who are today revived with the launch of the Monceau Model 01, available via Kickstarter until 15^th June.

In style, the Monceau Model 01 pays tribute to the sports watches of the 70s and 80s that proved resilient to the Quartz Crisis. That means its 39mm steel case features broad, flat surfaces with wide facets around the edges creating a barrel-like (aka tonneau) shape. The lugs lead seamlessly into the steel bracelet, giving the impression that it’s fully integrated, though it is actually interchangeable, giving you alternative options.

For the dial, they’ve opted for a three-dimensional sand wave motif. A pattern that has seen increasing popularity in recent years, especially around the independent scene with watches like the Christopher Ward x Oracle Time Dune Shoreline (you know we can’t avoid mentioning it whenever we can, come on). There are four versions of the Model 01 dial available. Antarctic presents it in white, Atacama in grey, Icelandic in black and lastly Riyadh in red, inspired by famous beaches and deserts around the world.

Ensuring good readability, the hour markers are made from solid blocks of Super-LumiNova, standing out against the dial and glowing in low light conditions. They’re paired with angular hands that also have a strip of lume down the centre. Completing the display is a date window at 6 o’clock, which they’ve gone to the effort of colour matching to the dials, a detail that even some major brands overlook. It helps the window blend into the rest of the design so that it doesn’t distract from the primary sand motif.

Beneath the dial is the Sellita SW210-1 Elaboré, a manual-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve. It’s visible through an exhibition caseback, where you can see that it’s finished in relatively understated fashion, which gives it a sort of practical but also classy appearance. Around the caseback you can see engravings marking its 200m water resistance rating as well as some of the movement specs such as frequency and the Incabloc shock resistance.

The Monceau Model 01 is available from their Kickstarter page with an initial price of £679, which runs until 15^th June. For a versatile daily wear sports watch with a funky dial, that’s really solid value. Personally, I do like all four colours though with the coming heat of the summer, there’s something fun about the red sand of the Riyadh edition that stands out.

More details at Monceau.

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Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) is wearing a G-Shock GBA-900 watch in a promotional image for the upcoming HBO series Lanterns, which is based on the Green Lantern comic book. Aaron Pierre plays John Stewart, a U.S. Marine veteran who is recruited by the Guardians of the Universe to be part of the Green Lantern Corps. […]

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Last year, we did something big: we created a watch. Granted, we’re not the first media company to collaborate on a timepiece. You could argue that it happens perhaps too often. But with the Dune Shoreline we not only created a fantastic-looking limited edition, but one that went on to become a full Christopher Ward collection. There’s been a big question hanging over us ever since though: what’s next?

How does one follow up a sell-out success like the Shoreline? And what was it about the watch that struck a chord? Well for us, it was three things: a cool dial, a value proposition and a uniquely British idea. And so we spent the past year talking to various watch brands, coming up with various designs and while many of them are still in the pipeline, we can finally present what we’ve been working on: The Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle.

Before we get too much into the design, it’s worth exploring why we decided to work with Ball. For anyone that owns one they’re invariably a favourite, big, chunky tool watches that score as big on value-for-money as they do build quality. For anyone else however they tend to go under-the-radar as one of (at least in our opinion) the most underrated of Swiss brands. So first, a short history lesson.

While it might not seem it given how most trains in the UK run, the railway and timekeeping have been inextricably linked throughout history. And it’s not just for the risk of annoying passengers either; chronometry on the railway can be a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, back in late 1800s America, the death came first.

In 1891, the watch of the train conductor stopped for four minutes, just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Four minutes isn’t a great amount in the grand scheme of the universe; at a railway crossroads, it’s vital. Because four minutes after the train’s scheduled time was when a fast mail train would be heading through the same stretch of track.

As it was, the Great Kipton Train Wreck was a disaster that shook up the nascent Great American Railroad with absolutely devastating imagery of the wrecked timber carriages. They realised they needed something beyond whatever uncertified pocket watches the conductors had to hand – and enlisted the help of Webb C. Ball as Chief Time Inspector to make things right.

Mr. Ball had already been a bit of a timekeeping influence in Cleveland. The then-jeweller was the first to use the signals from the US Naval Observatory to keep civilian timekeeping to a much higher standard than the average dandy needed. He evidently already understood the need for chronometric precision; he just needed to apply that standard to the entire railroad. Easy, right? Thus, the Ball watch company was forever linked to the USA’s railway system.

At the time, Ball was doing what most jewellers of the era did and re-casing third-party movements. Think Elgin, Hamilton and Waltham, back when there was some serious watchmaking infrastructure in the USA. But the prestige of railway chronometers evidently struck a chord – as did the phrase ‘On the Ball’, which the watchmaker may or may not have coined. I like to think they did.

Fast-forward to today and modern Ball is a lot different from those early days of railroad watches. Sure, the Trainmaster has a railroad heritage-flavoured name, and some references ripped straight from pocket watch layouts, but there’s nothing classical about names like the Engineer Hydrocarbon Submarine Warfare, with dimensions that more than live up to the name. But at their core they still have the engineering-led approach that led to solid, reliable and accessible watchmaking across the railways. Who better to build a watch with? That all brings us back to the Engineer II Dazzle and where early Ball used the navy for timekeeping, we’ve used it for inspiration.

At the drawing board we knew we wanted a few things from the watch. First, we wanted something that tied into Ball’s historical love of novel engineering. We also wanted something typically British. Finally, it needed to be something Ball has never done before. If it tied into Ball’s history all the better – perhaps, for example, something naval, given Ball’s early chronometric reliance on the old US Naval Observatory. That’s where we hit upon the idea of Dazzle Camo – or Razzle Dazzle, if you feel the need to American it up.

Dazzle Camo has a fun place in naval history. In 1917, British merchant vessels were being mercilessly targeted by German U-boats. This was nearly two decades before radar, so there wasn’t much the ships could do to stop them except try camouflage. Zoologist John Graham Kerr proposed taking inspiration from wildlife, the zebra specifically, but blending those colours into the scenery with shading – guns painted grey on top to white below would appear invisible on the horizon. It was a novel idea, but one that would have varying impact in different lightings.

Marine painter Norman Wilkinson however saw the grain of another idea in there, leaning on the disruptive side of things. He realised that with the right abstract shapes and lines in the right places, you could obfuscate the various planes of a ship. You tricked the eye into not just missing the details, but finding it hard to even tell what direction it’s pointing in. The ship itself wasn’t meant to blend in, it was just meant to be confusing to look at.

The idea stuck with the admiralty of the British navy and soon Wilkinson was in charge of the Dazzle Section, housed in the Royal Academy of Arts. Countless variations on Dazzle patterns were trialed on models before being painted on hundreds of ships, filling dockyards with geometric, eye wrenching patterns. Every ship had a unique version of the technique and no two were ever alike. It was a surprising creative outlet in a time of war.

Did it work? It’s hard to tell. The camo certainly did confuse the eye, back when torpedo crews were eyeballing their targets through periscopes. And at the very least it had a huge effect on crew morale on the painted ships. But as time moved on and technology advanced, out with the old manual rangefinders and in with electronics. While Dazzle Camo did make an appearance in WWII, it wasn’t quite the protection it once was. It didn’t take long before those fantastic hull patterns were painted over in admiral grey.

Dazzle camo was a historical anomaly for sure, but one that perfectly encapsulates that British approach to design, that out-of-the-box (and some might say out-of-their-mind) thinking. We absolutely loved it and we knew we wanted Norman Wilkinson’s contribution to naval history interpreted in a watch.

Like the Shoreline before it, the dial is where the action is. The sharp, fractured pattern of triangles has been embossed to help the different shapes stand out more, in shades of white, grey and black just like the original dazzle camo concept. The specific pattern isn’t tied to a historical ship or anything quite that concrete. After a lot of trial and error, it is however the version that best suited the smaller, rounder space of a watch dial. It’s more in line with the kind of camo that concept cars use to hide their aerodynamics on test tracks, taking the same idea and modernising it.

To add a bit of colour, we tipped the hands in an icy sky blue – fitting for a nautically-themed timepiece. While you might mistake the various indexes for solid blocks of lume, they’re much more interesting than that. Unlike other watchmakers Ball actually uses radioactive H3 tritium gas in place of standard Superluminova. These self-illuminating tubes of science don’t need sunlight to charge and glow brighter than anything Black Badger works with. They’re a Ball signature and while they’re not the main reason we love the brand, they’re certainly part of it.

The best thing about H3 gas tubes is that the glass can easily be coloured. Ball in fact have some seriously cool rainbow dials that only come alive in the dark. On the Engineer II Dazzle we were slightly more reserved: a sky-blue glow across the hands and the 12 o’clock hour marker (matching those icy blue tips) and a clean, nautical white across the rest. Fair warning, this is a watch you might want to keep in a drawer rather than a bedside table. Unless you’re in need of a nightlight at any rate.

Between the striking camo pattern and self illuminating indexes, we wanted the dial to do the talking, so we opted to dazzle up one of Ball’s more streamlined pieces. One of Ball’s most successful lines in recent years is the Engineer III Marvelight, the brand’s chunky alternative to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. It felt like the perfect canvas to work with. In fact, that was where we initially started, but we wanted something slimmer – which we found in the earlier Engineer II.

The result is 40mm of stainless steel, a relatively svelte thickness of 11.5mm and a water resistance of 100m. In terms of dimensions, this is a daily wearer if ever there was one. Hell, you can put it through some serious knocks and thanks to its 5,000 G shock resistance, it’ll come out swinging the other side. The main construction difference between this and other Ball watches however is that we’ve foregone the soft iron inner case in favour of an exhibition caseback – a rarity for Ball. But given it’s showing off Ball’s COSC-certified, RR1101-C movement it’s worth not being able to wear it in an MRI machine.

Fit on a solidly built stainless steel bracelet, the Engineer II Dazzle is a long way from those railroad-standard pocket watches from the late 1800s. But it draws on the same engineering prowess that has made modern Ball one of the unsung heroes of modern watchmaking – just with what we consider a very OT twist. And while we do of course want our 100-piece limited edition to do well – and with a value-driven price tag of £2,480, we’re expecting it to – we’re hoping it also gets more eyes looking at just what Ball can do. More eyes, you could say, on the Ball.

The Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle will go on sale 11th June exclusively for Oracle Time members, before going on general sale 14th June at Hands On Horology, our 40-brand extravaganza of a watch show. To avoid disappointment, become a member to get priority access to this and future collaboration watches, ten print issues a year and many more benefits besides.

More details at Ball Watch. 

For more information, visit our membership page. If, for any reason, you choose not to subscribe but still want to be informed about any leftover watches or allocations, please enter your email address below.

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Microbrands sell dreams of individuality, craft, and defiance of the mass market. Though take a look through their open casebacks and the rebellion may appear far less radical. Many of these expressive dials and cases tick to the same mechanical heartbeat as their neighbours. It is great paradox that microbrand collectors embrace: aesthetic originality paired with mechanical conformity. However, microbrands don’t use a common selection of third party movements without reason. Fighting constraints of tight budgets, lean teams and little to no infrastructure, the microbrands can only function aided by accessible movements and digital platforms. Suppliers like Seiko, Miyota and Sellita fill the gap with proven calibres, becoming the bedrock of a creative renaissance. Let’s examine six of the most common microbrand watch movements to see what makes them favourites of designers the world over.

Sellita SW200-1

The Sellita SW200-1 has become the original by being the copy. As ETA retreated into Swatch Group’s embrace, this near-clone of the ETA 2824-2, with parts interchangeable by design or indifference, emerged as the default heartbeat of countless microbrands. A self-winding movement, it features hours, minutes, sweep seconds, a quick-set date, and 26 jewels, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) with a 41-hour power reserve and a ball-bearing rotor for efficient winding. It offers Swiss legitimacy without the burden of in-house development, occupying a sweet spot of cost and credibility. Up and coming Italian brand Venezianico has built much of its identity on Sellita bases, elevating the ordinary with meticulous finishing and vibrant dials.

Miyota 9039

Not all shared pulses come from the Alps. The Miyota 9039, proudly un-Swiss, speaks with Japanese clarity: form follows function with quiet rigor. A Japanese-made, ultra-thin automatic movement at just 3.9mm thick, it features 24 jewels, beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), and offers both hacking seconds and manual winding with a 42-hour power reserve, making it the go-to for slim, contemporary no-date automatics. British brand Marloe uses it in their Solent Timer dual crown series, which is made possible by the movement’s efficient dimensions. Its thinness is praised as a virtue, enabling compact elegance, even as its ubiquity remains an open secret among enthusiasts.

Seiko NH35

While Miyota offers Japanese refinement, the Seiko NH35 represents horological democracy incarnate, the AK-47 of movements. Reliable and nearly indestructible, though admittedly also imprecise by many standard, it powers entry-level automatics across the globe. This unassuming calibre has established itself as the universal foundation upon which mechanical timekeeping stands, its economics approaching something like horological socialism through production scales that render it accessible to even the most modestly funded creator. It features hours, minutes, central seconds, and a quick-set date at 3 o’clock. Equipped with 24 jewels, it beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), offers hacking and manual winding, and provides a power reserve of about 41 hours. Its bi-directional rotor uses Seiko’s Magic Lever system for efficient winding.

Seagull ST19

The Asian mainland has a lot of work to do to overcome manufacturing stereotypes but movements like the Seagull ST19 are up to the task. It carries history in its bridges – a hand-wound, column-wheel chronograph rooted in the Swiss Venus 175, it features a bi-compax layout with small seconds at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. Operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), it houses 21 jewels and provides a power reserve of about 50 hours (45 hours when the chronograph is active). It has cultivated its own devoted following among those who pursue the aesthetic and mechanical poetry of bygone chronographs, offering the ritualistic intimacy of manual winding at a price point that doesn’t demand inheritance or institutional investment. Yet its relative scarcity remains assured through production constraints and rising procurement thresholds that render it something of an insider’s secret, accessible only to those brands with sufficient capital or connections. British micromaker Studio Underd0g initially used it in their 01 Series, embracing its mechanical legitimacy while navigating geographic prejudices.

La Joux-Perret G100

For microbrands seeking to rise above commodity calibres, the La Joux-Perret G100 offers an adopted prestige. A Swiss-made automatic movement, it provides hours, minutes, and central seconds, with 24 jewels and a hacking function. It beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and delivers an impressive 68-hour power reserve. Compatible with ETA 2824 dimensions, the G100 is a refined alternative for brands seeking extended autonomy and Swiss craftsmanship. Founded in the 1980s and acquired by Citizen in 2012, One observes it most frequently beneath the sapphire casebacks of those microbrands cultivating a more premium position, those who find narrative value in extended power reserves and the distinctive sculptural qualities that provide conversational capital among collectors. Swiss microbrand Furlan Marri uses it to reinforce their meticulous identity, proving that movement selection can shape brand narrative.

Horage K3

The Horage K3 is admittedly an anomaly in this article as it is not yet in wide usage, having only been launched earlier this year. However, it perhaps offers an insight into where microbrand and independent movement design could be moving in future. Built on the technological foundations of the K1 but conceived as a complete reinvention, the K3 is a COSC-certified Swiss automatic calibre featuring a full silicon escapement, including the hairspring, anchor, and escape wheel. It beats at 25,200 vibrations per hour (3.5 Hz), delivers an extended 96-hour power reserve, and houses 28 jewels. Its innovative architecture integrates advanced anti-magnetic properties alongside a bi-directional tungsten rotor.

The K3 is already poised to extend its reach beyond Horage’s own collection, it will soon be made available to third-party brands, offering independent makers access to cutting-edge technology typically reserved for major manufacturers. The K3 represents a rare convergence of micro-engineering and microbrand ideals: unconcerned with tradition, it is engineered around a modern movement platform that accommodates multiple complications while maintaining a case height under 10mm. This is a calibre that doesn’t merely whisper Swiss credentials, it speaks them fluently in the language of innovation. Remarkably, the K3 is Horage’s fifth in-house developed and manufactured movement, an achievement made all the more striking given the brand’s youth, having only just passed its 15th year.

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Audio-Technica ATH-R50x, £139

Audio-Technica has released their latest generation of professional headphones designed for home or studio use. The ATH-R50x is the more entry-level version of the design, while still offering professional specifications. Its fully open-back design allows unrestricted airflow to eliminate internal resonance and provide extremely quick transient response. The redesigned headband improves comfort and durability.

Available at Audio-Technica.

Absolute Sounds dCS Varèse

The dCS Varèse, available at Absolute Sounds, is the most advanced dCS music system to date, consisting of five components: the User Interface, Master Clock, twin Mono DACs, and the Core. The technological innovations present in the system result in reduced jitter, increased linearity, lowered noise floor, and eliminated crosstalk. It is the beating heart of a sound system. Absolute Sounds are dedicated to finding the perfect piece of audio technology to elevate your listening experience, and the dCS Varèse is ideal.

Available at Absolute Sounds.

Fliteboard Flite Jet 2, £3,910

When surfing is too mundane for you, you need a Fliteboard. A hydrofoil board with an electric motor, the eFoil makes taking to the water much more dynamic and fun. The Flite Jet 2 is Fliteboard’s newest model featuring a Series 5 motor that makes it more agile and versatile than ever before—perfect for beginners, pros, and racers. It features a smoother ride and a higher top speed. The Jet 2 can also be used as an upgrade on existing boards.

Available at Fliteboard.

Power to Pedal

Power to Pedal is an independent personal transport retailer based in Manchester that aims to inspire health, sustainability, and adventure for the whole family. They stock a wide selection of e-bikes, bikes, and scooters for adults and children. Whether you’re commuting in the city or exploring the countryside, they have everything you need to stay active and safe.

Available at Powertopedal.

Qobuz

Qobuz is a music streaming platform available on desktop and mobile, dedicated to curating a complete audio experience for audiophiles. In addition to their music-focused magazine, they use the highest-quality audio files possible for their library of over 100 million songs, so you can listen the way the artists and recording engineers intended. With their download purchase system, you can also own and customize your music collection. From £10.83 per month.

Available at Qobuz.

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When the wristwatch first gained popularity the clasp was designed solely to ensure your watch stayed firmly on your wrist. Whilst its function hasn’t changed, overtime watch brands have developed and created new clasps. One driver of innovation has been the evolution of bracelets and straps which utilise new materials and therefore required different clasps. A pin buckle doesn’t typically work on a steel bracelet for example. Secondly, modern innovation is often driven by style. A clasp can be as intricate and well-engineered as any other part of the watch. Let’s take a look at 10 different watch clasps you might find on a strap or bracelet.

Pin Buckle

The most common of the watch clasps, the pin buckle is one of the oldest and most recognisable ways of securing your watch to your wrist. Typically reserved for leather or fabric straps the pin buckle mirrors the concept of a trouser belt. On one side of the watch strap you will have perforated holes, which allow you to choose the size for your wrist. On the other you have a U-shaped bracket and pin. Feed the perforated side through the bracket and push the pin through one of the holes and voilà! Your watch won’t be going anywhere.

The benefits of the pin buckle are its uniformity. It’s nearly identical across different brands so assuming you’ve managed to keep your trousers up these last few years you’ll have no issues working the pin buckle. You’ll easily find a replacement for little money should you need to replace it. The two drawbacks to the pin buckle are how fiddle-ey it can be to do up, especially with one hand. And second, securing the pin buckle requires bending the strap which is likely to cause creases and wear to the strap over time.

Folding Clasp

The preferred and standard clasp for most metal bracelet watches, the folding clasp (sometimes interchangeably called a deployant clasp, though that has a specific meaning as we will get to) is integrated as part of the bracelet. When closed, from the outside it looks neat and tidy, typically showing a brand logo with a button or pushers on either side. Open with the pushers and the folding clasp unveils two thin and distinctly shaped pieces that unfold when open and fold back on top of each other when closed.

By forming part of the bracelet the folding clasp is very secure and makes dropping your watch much less likely than with the pin buckle as the bracelet is connected at all times. You also don’t see much of the clasp when wearing the watch as the folding section is tucked under the bracelet. The only con is the size of the folding element. They can be bulky as they need to extend enough to allow the watch to fit over your hand. Even though the folding element is out of sight it is pressed against the underside of your wrist which you might find uncomfortable.

Standard Deployant Clasp

The deployant clasp is very similar to the folding clasp. Its functionality is almost identical with 2 folding elements that hide under the strap when closed. The main difference is that a deployant isn’t integrated into the strap. As a result deployant clasps can be used on compatible leather and rubber straps. The clasp can be attached to the strap in a variety of different ways. Similar to the pin buckle, you can have perforated holes on the strap or spring bars in the strap ends to connect the strap to the deployant. Different brands use different methods.

The big pro of the deployant is the ability to use it on compatible leather, fabric or rubber straps. It’s much easier to use compared to the pin buckle with a push release and is less wearing on the strap. As with the folding clasp it can be uncomfortable on the wrist. You’ll also find that because brands do deployant clasps differently, if you need to replace it you can be limited for options and they will cost a premium.

Hidden Clasp

Under the deployant clasp umbrella is a special type of deployant known as the hidden clasp. Its purpose is to hide as much of the clasp as possible giving the illusion that the bracelet is one continuous piece. With the clasp hidden the bracelet will have a more jewellery type look to it. As a result, these are often found on women’s watches or precious metal pieces, such as Rolex Day Date with Presidential bracelet. With the hidden clasp the mechanism to open is usually integrated into the bracelet, either with a centre link as a push button or, in Rolex case, with the lifting of the crown emblem.

Hiding the clasp is purely an aesthetic benefit. It adds a sleeker more refined look to the bracelet instead of the often chunkier more rugged deployant clasp. The challenge with hidden clasps is they can be difficult to open if the push release button is small and has been well integrated

Tri-Fold Deployant Clasp

Tri-fold deployant clasps aren’t hugely common, however, viewed as the most secure form of clasp they do give you added peace of mind. Named tri-fold because it contains a third, much smaller, folding piece. This third piece of the clasp is the locking element. It folds and clicks into place on top of the deployant to stop it accidentally popping open. The clasp you’ll find with a Rolex GMT-Master II is an example of a tri-fold deployant.

The pros and cons of the tri-fold are the same as the standard deployant with the added bonus of extra security. Whilst modern deployant clasps don’t tend to open accidentally the addition of the tri-fold adds little in the way of size and weight.

Butterfly Clasp

The clasp with the best name, the butterfly clasp is also the most sophisticated. Often reserved for higher price point watches the butterfly opens in the middle. The deployant clasps above unfold by releasing one side of the clasp. This means the release mechanism isn’t centred on the inside of your wrist and is one of the reasons it can be uncomfortable. Think of the deployant like opening a regular single door whereas the butterfly clasp is like opening two double doors on your way into a grand ballroom. The butterfly therefore has three hinged pieces rather than two which open with the push of the button(s).

The butterfly clasp is the most attractive and aesthetically pleasing because it sits centrally on the wrist. Patek Philippe uses the butterfly clasp on several watches including the Nautilus and Aquanaut. The downside, like any hinged clasp, is comfort. You still can’t get away from the metal pressing into your skin.

Leaf Spring Clasp

Image credit: Fratello Watches

The leaf spring is a variation on the butterfly clasp, but with some extra spring. The clasp is named after the leaf spring which is a specific type of spring curved in an arc as opposed to your traditional coil. In short, when the clasp is open the spring is relaxed and as you close the clasp, the arced spring is put under tension. Once the clasp is closed and the strap ends meet, the spring is locked in place, keeping the watch on your wrist. Opening the clasp doesn’t require any buttons or levers because as you pull the clasp apart it will simply spring open.

On the surface the leaf spring might seem unsafe as there are no locking elements, no buttons to release, no magnets for security. Instead it uses good old fashioned physics to remain in place. However, it is in fact very secure. Plus, without buttons the leaf spring can often be smaller than other forms of deployant.

Sliding Clasp

The sliding clasp is one you don’t see very often, primarily because it’s best used on mesh style bracelets, which aren’t all that common in watch straps these days. Consisting of two components, the sliding element and the locking clasp. The sliding element moves up and down the bracelet so you can set it to the appropriate size. The locking clasp is attached to the other half of the strap and clips on the sliding portion to secure the bracelet in place.

The key benefit of the sliding clasp is the ease with which you can adjust the size and fit. Because the sliding element can be positioned at any point, unlike a pin buckle when pin holes are at set intervals, you are able to get the perfect fit with the sliding clasp. It’s also fairly dainty compared to a deployant so it scores well on comfort. The biggest drawback is simply that this clasp doesn’t work with many strap and bracelet styles and so unless you’re looking for a mesh bracelet watch you’re unlikely to come across the sliding clasp.

Velcro Loop

Velcro on a watch used to be something reserved for kids watches or the spare novelty space suit strap Omega sometimes supply with the Speedmaster. However, there’s a few more Velcro straps popping up these days, even Richard Mille offers a velcro on the RM27-03 Rafa Nadal. The Velcro loop consists of one short piece of strap with a loop on the end, the other piece of strap is longer and is passed through the loop to double back and secure with Velcro. Much like the Velcro on a pair of kid’s trainers.

Velcro and the Velcro loop are about as easy as it gets with watch straps. You also typically have lots more options with colours and changing a Velcro strap when it looks tatty isn’t a big deal or expense (Richard Mille exempt). Where Velcro will let you down is security, it’s not the safest way to secure your watch to your wrist. In the same way you moved up to shoelaces for your trainers.

Glidelock/Micro Adjustment Clasp

Rather than a uniquely different type of clasp, the micro adjustment is more of a feature you might find on a number of other clasps. Most commonly associated with bracelets, Glidelock is the name given the Rolex patented mechanism that allows you to adjust the bracelet without the need to remove entire links in the watch. This system allows for resizing of just a few millimeters and today most brands will offer their own version of a Glidelock or micro adjustment system. Typically these work by opening up your deployant, folding or butterfly clasp and locating a small button on the inside. This allows the end of the bracelet to slide up or down inside the clasp either reducing or extending it.

The ‘on the fly’ nature of the micro adjust means you don’t have to worry if your wrist changes during the day or between winter and summer. They are also perfect additions to dive watches where the bracelet extension can be used to help slide over your dive suit. Micro adjustment clasps have become not only desirable but a necessity in modern watches. A bracelet without micro adjustment will make many people think twice before they buy. Compared to deployant and folding clasps there are no additional negatives to the Glidelock or micro adjustment.

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Between their divers and field watches, Boldr is a brand that tends to be very down to earth. Focussed on the practicalities of day-to-day life by producing watches that are comfortable to wear and accessibly priced. However, every now and then they’ll release a watch that bucks that trend with a yearning to get away from the mundanity of Earth-bound life and celebrate the universe beyond our atmosphere. The first watch to do so was the Venture Singularity, inspired by the inescapable void of a black hole. Now they’ve teamed up with WatchGecko for a second stellar timepiece, the Boldr x WatchGecko Polaris Limited Edition, which will be available for the first time at Hands On Horology on June 14^th.

Polaris is another name for the North Star, the star by which archaic forms of navigation were able to identify north. However, while Polaris is itself a bright star, finding it in the night sky isn’t always easy, especially in cloudy conditions, so having alternative tricks and tips to locate its position is also essential, often by using other constellations as celestial signposts. One method involves locating the constellation Ursa Major and following the line of its two outer stars, which point towards it. Another is via the constellation Cassiopeia, which is shaped like a W and the centre spoke points at Polaris.

Why is this relevant? Well, the dial of the Boldr x WatchGecko Polaris features an accurate depiction of these three celestial landmarks presented in Super-LumiNova. Ursa Major at 9 o’clock, Cassiopeia at 3 and Polaris central between them on the main handstack. The original inspiration from the dial came from the myriad watches that use aventurine glass to symbolise the night sky but that are woefully inadequate at providing a reference for the actual positions of stars. Though the Boldr isn’t exactly a fully-fledged celestial atlas either, for that you’d need the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication La Première.

Though one advantage that the Boldr x WatchGecko Polaris has over the Vacheron is that you can actually wear it. Its case is based on the Venture, which means it’s crafted from lightweight and durable titanium with dimensions of 38mm x 12mm. It also has a water resistance rating of 200m, making it suitable for a variety of adventures, perhaps even some guided by Polaris itself. Inside the case is the ever-reliable Seiko NH38 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve.

As I mentioned in the introduction, the watch will first be available to purchase at Hands On Horology on June 14^th, taking place at London’s Protein Studios. If you don’t already have your ticket, secure one here. Following the event, any remaining stock will be available from WatchGecko’s online store from June 16^th. However, as a limited edition of only 100 pieces if you want to be certain to pick one up, come along to HOH. Priced at £399, it’s also amazing value.

More details at WatchGecko.

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Sponsor partnerships between Formula One teams and watch brands are a well-established tradition at this point. Some make a lot of sense such as Red Bull and Tag Heuer or Ferrari and Richard Mille, but one of the more unusual collaborations is between high end haute horology specialists H. Moser & Cie. and Alpine.

Ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend they’ve come together to release a pair of timepieces, the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition and an incredibly unusual, connected Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition. They’re exclusively available as a pair in a limited edition of 200 sets.

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition

The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition is a skeleton chronograph featuring a 42.3mm steel case with blue PVD treatment echoing the colours of the Alpine team. It follows the classic shape of the Streamliner collection with curving flanks and a cushion design inspired by the Art Deco influences of vintage trains. Though here they’ve traded the railways for the circuit.

This is the first time that the calibre HMC 700, which was developed in partnership with Agenhor, has been presented as a skeleton (in its non-skeleton form it’s known as the HMC 907). Revealing the inner workings of the movement when viewed from the dial side of the watch. They’ve paid careful attention to the skeletonisation process to ensure a strong thematic connection to Alpine.

There are two prominent V shape bridges above and below the central hands that emulate the triangular suspension systems used in F1 cars and then the central bridge is shaped like a racing helmet. The automatic rotor is based off the wheel rim design of the Alpine A110.

For timekeeping functions, it’s equipped with central hours, minutes, seconds and a central flyback chronograph seconds hand. There are no additional subdials in order to keep the focus on the seconds, fitting for an F1 watch where the slimmest margin is all that matters. There’s also a tachymeter mounted on the flange, allowing you to calculate a car’s speed.

More details at H. Moser & Cie.

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition

In a first for H. Moser & Cie. along side the Driver’s Edition they have produced an ana-digi connected watch called the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition. It features a traditional timekeeping dial at 12 o’clock with hours and minutes but below that is a black screen capable of displaying a range of information. Perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph, dual time zone with country selector and an F1 function that essential serves as a motorsport equivalent to a regatta timer, counting down to the start of each Grand Prix.

Of course, as a first for the brand, H. Moser has collaborated with a connected watch specialist to develop the watch. That specialist brand is actually one that we’re very familiar with at Oracle Time because it’s Sequent and the Elektron HR2.2 was one of the first connected watches I ever reviewed for the magazine. Their particular niche within the connected watch sphere is hybrid design, meaning electronic watches powered by mechanical rotors or that use ana-digi styles of display, and it’s the latter that’s the case here. It’s cool to see them collaborate with a major brand like H. Moser & Cie.

The movement inside is called the DI0, operating with quartz technology for an ultra-high 32,728 beats per second providing an accuracy of +/-0.3 seconds per day. It also has a 9,000-hour power reserve equivalent to 12 months. With the connected portion active they give the reserve duration as 6 Grand Prixes.

The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition is available as part of the 200 piece limited edition set alongside the Drivers Edition at a price of CHF59,000 (approx. £53,200). As a note, if you look at the caseback of the Mechanics Edition you may notice that it’s engraved as a limited edition of 500 pieces, not 200, that’s because it’s also being made available to collectors who have already purchased any previous (and potentially future) Alpine collaboration watches.

More details at H. Moser & Cie.

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